Latching device for compact filter cells

ABSTRACT

A latching device for compact filler cells comprising two parallel latching elements mounted beneath and on opposite sides of an outlet pipe. Each latching element has a rotatable pipe with a projection which rotates in an arcuate path and carries a peg which engages a press bar which abuts the shoulder of a filter cell to move the cell upwardly into position when the latch elements are rotated.

United States Patent Persson Oct. 14, 1975 [54] LATCHING DEVICE FORCOMPACT 941,679 11/1909 Holnagel 292/54 FILTER CELLS 1,538,581 5/1925O'Connor 292/241 2,793,897 5/1957 Hendrickson.... 292/54 X [75]Inventor: g r Alexis P p g, 3,259,414 7/1966 Rothert 292/256.67 Sweden3,651,786 3/1972 Patterson et al. 292/259 3] Assignee AB Bahcoventilation, Sweden 3,722,549 3/1973 Wilson et a1 292/257 [22] Filed:May 17, 1974 Primary ExaminerRichard E. Moore Attorney, Agent, orFirmStevens, Davis, Miller & [21] Appl. No.. 470,920 Mosher [30] ForeignApplication Priority Data [57] ABSTRACT June 6, 1973 Sweden 7307987 Alatching device for compact filler cells comprising 1 two parallellatching elements mounted beneath and [52] US. Cl 292/54; 292/265 onopposite sides of an outlet pipe. Each latching ele- [51] Int. Cl. EOSC3/04 ment has a rotatable pipe with a projection which re- [58] Field ofSearch 292/54, 241, 256-267 tates in an arcuate path and carries a pegwhich engages a press bar which abuts the shoulder of a filter [56]References Cited cell to move the cell upwardly into position when theUNITED STATES PATENTS latch elements are rotated.

462,007 10/1891 Hoyt 292/54 1 Claim, 2 Drawing Figures US. Patent 0g.14, 1975 3,912,308

LATCHING DEVlCE FOR COMPACT FILTER CELLS The present invention relatesto a latching device which is primarily intended for compact filtercells of a type hereinafter described. More particularly the inventionrelates to a latching device comprising two parallel, identical latchingelements which are mounted for rotation in mirror-image and located atmutually the same height immediately beneath and on opposite sides of anoutlet pipe for purified gas in a filter housing for compact filtercells, each of which latching elements comprises a horizontallyrotatable pipe which is mounted in the filter housing and which isprovided adjacent each of its ends with a projection which in the openedor released position of the latching device extends horizontally towardsthe opposite pipe and which on the side thereof facing the pipe end hasa cylindrical peg which extends parallel with the pipe, and whichadjacent at least one end is provided with a rotatable rod havinglocking means and extending suitably vertically in the open position ofthe latching device.

Compact filter cells of the type with which the latching device of thepresent invention is intended for use comprise a textile web folded toform a number of deep, tranverse folds and having longitudinallyextending seams at each fold, so that each fold includes a row ofmutually parallel passages for purified gas, which passages are open inone and the same mutual direction and closed in the opposite direction(at the bottom of the fold), and with which filter cell each row ofpurified-gas passages is surrounded by rows of mutually parallelcrude-gas passages, these latter passages being open in one and the samemutual direction and closed in the opposite direction, the opendirection of said crude-gas passages being opposite to that of thepurified-gas passages, said filter cell having a metal frame structurein which the folded textile web is secured and comprising rectangular orsquare upper and lower frame sections which extend parallel to eachother and which are connected together at their corners by means ofstraight rods which extend normal to the frame members. To impart asquare-sectional shape to the gas passages and to maintain stabilitywith respect to the shape of said passages, each purified gas passage isprovided with a special insert member.

The filter cell as a whole thus has the appearance of a right-angledhexahedron with which the upper frame member surrounds the side of theactual textile filter containing all the purified-gas passage orificesand the lower frame member encircles the side of the textile filtercontaining all the crude-gas passage orifices.

So that the filter cell can be suitably connected to an outlet pipehaving the same rectangular or square cross-sectional shape as thefilter cell in the filter housing for which the filter cell is intended,there is arranged in the upper frame member on the upper surface thereofa sealing strip, which is suitably made of sponge rubber. The sealingstrip is partially located in a groove disposed in the upper framemember and slightly projects laterally and outwardly from the groove inrelation to the remainder of the filter cell, so that the outer portionsof the under surface of the upper frame member form a shoulder againstwhich pressing and latching members of the latching device can act toforce the upper frame member, and therewith the filter cell as a wholeagainst the outlet pipe for purified gas and to latch the filter cell inthis position.

The problem associated with this arrangement of connecting the filtercell to said outlet pipe is one of effecting said connection so that acomplete seal is obtained along the whole length of the sides of theupper frame member, despite the occurrence of high pressure differences,while enabling a filter cell to be changed rapidly without it beingnecessary to undertake complicated filter securing measures.

This problem is solved by means of the latching device according to theinvention, which is characterized by a press bar for each pipe having aplanar press surface and extending parallel with said pipe, said pressbar, when the latching device is released, being arranged to resthorizontally on the projections and on the pegs associated therewith,and when the latching device is closed is arranged to rest horizontallysolely or substantially on the pegs, wherewith each press bar suitablycomprises an L-shaped or a Z-shaped bar having a length which slightlyexceeds the distance between the pegs on each pipe and which is lessthan the length of the pipe, and the ends of which bar are provided withrectangular end pieces which extend at right angles to the bar andwhich, in the case of a bar with L-shaped cross-section are secured bytwo adjacent edges at the flanges of said bar, and in the case of a barwith Z-shaped cross-section at one flange and the web of said rod, andeach of which is provided with a groove having a circular round bottomportion and a width which corresponds to the diameter of the pegs and adepth which is adapted to the position of said pegs; and in that eachpress bar is arranged on corresponding securing elements so that thegrooves of said bars are directed upwardly and the bottoms of thegrooves abut the pegs.

Each projection is suitably rounded at its free end, preferably to forma circular are having the same center point they are defining thecircumference of the peg attached to the projection.

Each rotating rod comprises suitably a U-shaped rod provided withlatching means which enable a rotatable rod on one attachment element tobe fixed with corresponding rotatable rod on the other attachmentelement when said rods are rotated towards each other and cross eachother. The latching member may comprise a simple screw joint or a cotterpin passing through holes in the rotatable rods. The rotatable rods maybe arranged only at one end of the pipes or at both ends thereof and thepipes may be secured only at one end or at both ends thereof.

When connecting the filter cell to the purified-gas outlet pipe, thefilter cell is placed between the attachment elements with the shoulderportion of the upper frame member resting on the press bars. Therotatable rods are rotated towards each other, whereupon as a result ofthe suspension of the press bars on the pegs and the rounded free endsof the projections, the press bars are moved parallel inwardly andupwardly to force the upper frame member, and therewith the filter cellinto sealing abutment with the outlet pipe. The rotatable rods arelocked in position against each other in the manner described above.

The invention will now be described more clearly with reference to theaccompanying drawing, in which FIG. 1 is a perspective view of alatching device according to the invention in its released position, and

FIG. 2 is a front view of the latching device shown in FIG. 1 in alocked position.

In FIG. 1 there is indicated a filter housing wall 1 provided withattachment means 2 for a latching device constructed in accordance withthe invention, said device comprising two rotatable, horizontal pipes 3.The pipes are symmetrically arranged at the same height immediatelybeneath and on both sides of a purified gas outlet pipe 4, shown inphantom lines.

Adjacent the ends of each pipe 3 is a projection 5 mainly extendinghorizontally towards the opposite pipes. Each projection is provided onits outer surface with a cylindrical peg 6.

Press bars 7 having a Z-shaped cross section and provided with dependingend pieces 8 rest on the pegs 6 and on the horizontal upper surfaces ofrespective projections 5. The end pieces 8 are provided with downwardlyopen, vertically extending grooves 9 in which the pegs are inserted andagainst the bottom of which said pegs are arranged to lie.

The horizontal upper surface of the web portion of the Z-shaped pressbars 7 abuts, in turn, the shoulder of a filter cell 11, also shown inphantom lines, associated with the upper frame member 10, and with theillustrated embodiment is provided at the edge facing the filter housingwall with an upwardly extending end wall 12 which serves as a stopmember for the upper frame member 10.

At the under surface of the front projections 5 as seen in the drawing,each pipe 3 is provided with a rotatable rod bar 13 of U-shaped crosssection, the web portion of said rod 13 having arranged therein a row ofholes 14 in which the locking member can be inserted to secure the rods13 to one another.

FIG, 2 illustrates how the filter cell 11 is held pressed firmly againstthe outlet pipe 4 by the press bars 7 when said bars are moved parallelas the rods 13 are rotated, and how said rods 13 are secured to oneanother by means of a screw 15.

The latching device according to the invention is, as beforementioned,primarily intended for compact filter cells, although it may be used inother connections for firmly clamping packages other than filterpackages but having the same geometrical configuration as theillustrated filter cell.

I claim:

1. A latching device for compact filter sells comprising two parallel,identical latching elements which are mounted for rotation inmirror-image and located at mutually the same height immediately beneathand on opposite sides of an outlet pipe for purified gas in a filterhousing for compact filter cells, each of which latching elementscomprising a horizontal rotatable pipe which is mounted in the filterhousing and which is provided adjacent each of its ends with aprojection which in the opened or released position of the latchingdevice extends horizontally towards the opposite pipe and which on theside thereof facing the pipe end has a cylindrical peg which extendsparallel with the pipe, and which adjacent at least one end is providedwith a rotatable rod provided with locking means and extending suitablyvertically in the open position of the latching device, characterized bya press bar having a planar press surface and extending parallel withsaid pipe, said press bar, when the latching device is released, beingarranged to rest horizontally on the projection and on the pegsassociated therewith, and when the latching device is closed is arrangedto rest horizontally solely or substantially on the pegs, wherewith eachpress bar suitably comprises an L-shaped or a Z-shaped bar having alength which slightly exceeds the distance between the pegs on each pipeand which is less than the length of the pipe, and the ends of which barare provided with rectangular end pieces which extend at right angles tothe bar and which, in the case of a bar L- shaped cross section aresecured by two adjacent edges at the flanges of said bar, and in thecase of a bar with Z-shaped cross section at one flange and the web ofsaid bar, and each of which is provided with a groove having a circularround bottom portion and a width which corresponds to the diameter ofthe pegs and a depth which is adapted to the position of said pegs; andin that each press bar is arranged on corresponding securing elements sothat the grooves of said bars are directed upwardly and the bottoms ofthe grooves abut the pegs.

1. A latching device for compact filter sells comprising two parallel,identical latching elements which are mounted for rotation inmirror-image and located at mutually the same height immediately beneathand on opposite sides of an outlet pipe for purified gas in a filterhousing for compact filter cells, each of which latching elementscomprising a horizontal rotatable pipe which is mounted in the filterhousing and which is provided adjacent each of its ends with aprojection which in the opened or released position of the latchingdevice extends horizontally towards the opposite pipe and which on theside thereof facing the pipe end has a cylindrical peg which extendsparallel with the pipe, and which adjacent at least one end is providedwith a rotatable rod provided with locking means and extending suitablyvertically in the open position of the latching device, characterized bya press bar having a planar press surface and extending parallel withsaid pipe, said press bar, when the latching device is released, beingarranged to rest horizontally on the projection and on the pegsassociated therewith, and when the latching device is closed is arrangedto rest horizontally solely or substantially on the pegs, wherewith eachpress bar suitably comprises an L-shaped or a Z-shaped bar having alength which slightly exceeds the distance between the pegs on each pipeand which is less than the length of the pipe, and the ends of which barare provided with rectangular end pieces which extend at right angles tothe bar and which, in the case of a bar Lshaped cross section aresecured by two adjacent edges at the flanges of said bar, and in thecase of a bar with Z-shaped cross section at one flange and the web ofsaid bar, and each of which is provided with a groove having a circularround bottom poRtion and a width which corresponds to the diameter ofthe pegs and a depth which is adapted to the position of said pegs; andin that each press bar is arranged on corresponding securing elements sothat the grooves of said bars are directed upwardly and the bottoms ofthe grooves abut the pegs.